Archive for the ‘Skiing’ Category

Chickadees in Narnia

Monday, January 11th, 2010

What a gorgeous day.  For once, the wind chill wasn’t clocking in at colder than –20 and the sun made an appearance.  A couple friends and I took advantage of it and went cross-country skiing – and I had a chickadee eat seeds from my hand!  He just flew right up and perched on my finger.  Nature is so, so awesome.  My friend put it best when she said:

“It looks like Narnia out here.”  And honestly, it did, way out in the trees in fresh snow. :)

I Eat

Lots of yummy breakfasts lately…

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A big, fat bowl of oat bran  topped with snow + alien brains + cranberry mix + almond butter.

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Saturday’s breakfast used this baby:

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Santa was so very good to me… probably too good.  But, I wasn’t complaining after it popped out a stack of these:

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Some GF waffles topped with pumpkin spread + almonds + raisins + maple flakes.  I added maple syrup later. :)

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Enjoyed with a stack of foodie reads.

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The mix I used was from Molly B Gluten Free.  This is the first product I’ve tried from this company, and I give it two monster thumbs up.  It’s a Canadian company too, which I like. 

Half the mix made a whole bunch of waffles so I put a few in the freezer.

Okay, so what’s pumpkin spread?  It’s pumpkin puree + applesauce + pumpkiny spices + sweetner of your choice, to your taste heated together on the stove.  It’s pretty tasty.  I’ve been putting it on everything.

This morning was some oatmeal.

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See what I mean about the pumpkin spread?

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A few good lunches to report, too.

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A roast chicken sandwich + salad + leftover squash + tea.

Oh, and what’s this?  More pumpkin spread?

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Yes I was still in my pjs at lunch time…

I topped plain fat-free yogurt with the spread + almond butter + cranberry mix.

More sandwichness today on some bread mixer GF bread.

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After this, I ate a cookie + apple and nut butter + way, way, wayyyy too much t-mix.

I felt like lead after that but that’s what happens when you take the container to the couch and start watching TLC.  Bad.

Thursday’s dinner was some salmon + veggie explosion.

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I used a new grill pan for the salmon + broccs, roasted the squash bracelets and threw some dressing on the salad greens.

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I like my vegetables.

Friday night = AYCE sushi.  Deeeeelicious.

Saturday night was roasted pork tenderloin + taters + broccs.

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So, broccs were steamed.

Tenderloin was brushed with Dijon mustard + fresh rosemary and popped in the oven at 400 convection for about 25, 30 minutes. 

Taters were chopped, tossed with red onion + rosemary + salt and put in a foil packet.  They got a head start and went into the oven for about 40 minutes.  They were super soft.

Tonight’s supper was easy because I’m tired and I ate such a gigantic lunch I wasn’t that hungry.

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Leftover taters + toast with pumpkin spread + grapes + egg.

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Simple.

I Move

Thursday – it was a nice day off from exercise.  I need to sleep in those extra twenty minutes!

Friday – I did some great strength training at the gym before work.  I need to focus more on weights than I have been lately.  I focused on shoulders + back, but warmed up first with 15 minutes on the treadmill.

Saturday – please, withhold your laughter.  I tried Zumba today.  Yes, that salsa dancing, booty shaking gym class.  I think I laughed through the whole hour because I was just so terrible, but it was fun!  My little sister is a big fan of it.  I think I’ll go back to see if there is such a thing as improvement in that class.

Sunday – two hours of exploring the great outdoors on skiis.  If you’ve been thinking about trying the sport, go for it!  It requires hardly any skill to get going and you can always take lessons to get better.  I wanted to hate winter less and this is allowing that to happen!  Yesss.

Okay, I am pooped.  I’m going to be in bed by 9 pm tonight, but I can embrace my inner grandma.

But first, time to get myself organized for another week of work… goodbye sweet, sweet weekend…

Adi

Party That Keeps On Giving

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

The NYE party was a good time with some oh-so funny friends.  I had a couple giggle fits which resulted in stomach pain (which is way better than stomach pain caused by eating bad things) and a sore face from laughing.  Has anyone played Apples to Apples?  It was a fun game and a great way to get to know some new peeps.

There was lots of food which translated into lots of leftovers, my favourite of which was the fruit platter that I demolished in one day.  I wish I could say there was only a few pieces of fruit left, but no, it was about half full and this. girl. loves. fruit.

I Eat

The first breakfast of 2010 was… not oatmeal.  I know, it’s almost sacrilegious to do, but my mouth wanted some waffles.

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I had 2 GF Nature’s Path waffles + fruit leftovers + cottage cheese + cinnamon + maple syrup.

A delicious start to 2010.

Yesterday I went for brunch with friends and had a tasty smoked salmon + spinach omelette with a side salad.  I like leafy stuff for brunch at restaurants.  It was good eating, great company.

This morning was sensational oatmeal.  It was sensational simply because it wasn’t made in the office microwave.

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This was a regular 1/2 c. oats + 1/2 nan + 1 c. water + cinnamon + cranberry t-mix + cacao nibs + almond butter.

I’ve been eating a lot of this lately, too:

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It’s GF banana bread and I replaced the sugar with Splenda.  I pulled out half a loaf from the freezer – and oops, it’s gone now.

Lunches have featured… sandwiches and leftover party hummus.

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That really doesn’t look appetizing, but it was good.

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I bought some new GF brown sandwich bread today, and tried to avert my eyes when the cashier rang it in at almost seven dollars.

Seven dollars.  For a mini loaf of bread.

I might as well be making sandwiches out of dollar bills.  Normally, GF bread tastes like paper anyway, so it wouldn’t be a stretch.

This bread passed the tasty test though!

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There was laughing cow cheese + toms + red onion + sprouts on this one.

Okay, this shrimp + kale + shrooms dinner was horrible, so let’s not even talk about it.

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Last night’s pasta was much, much better.

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Chicken + stuffed olives + cherry toms + rice pasta + EVOO + garlic + champagne.  Yes, this pasta dish sparkled.

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I have leftovers that I’m thinking about eating for dinner tonight.  My tummy is getting h-angry.

I miss barbecuing my dinners!  Doesn’t look like that is happening any time soon…

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Guess what that big black thing is?  Yeah.

I Move

Friday – started off the New Year at a vacant gym.  Where was everybody?!  Oh right, enjoying their holiday!  The place was dead.  I did cardio split between the treadie and the elliptical and did some core work that left me hurting the next day.

Saturdayno workout!  It was really nice to spend the day with a couple friends and go here and there around the city.  I did pick up my latest gift to self that “Santa” helped to fund…

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Here it is folks, my next sport.  I’ve decided to take up cross country skiing as an attempt to embrace winter.  As a friend puts it, we might as well live in Siberia when you look outside, and it’s not going to change, so we might as well go with it.

Back in the day, I was a downhill skier.  I had no fears about bombing down a hill, loved feeling the edge of my skis carving  freshly groomed hills and being completely in control.  When I was even more adventurous, I picked up snow blades, which is the equivalent to signing my death wish.  I loved it but moved away from the ski hill and without easy access to one, I gave it up.

I lost my daredevil side too, and the thought of strapping those things back on my feet is terrifying.  Cross country skiing seemed like more civilized choice. ;)

Sunday – I gave them a whirl!  I went out with friends to a trail near by and we skied for about an hour and a half.  At first, I was about as graceful as a donkey on ice skates.  By the end of loop, I was getting into a groove and was starting to understand how different muscles should feel during the stride.  I’m taking lessons at the end of the month so that should help… a lot.

Back to work for a full week tomorrow – really?  Already?  This was an awesome long weekend.

Off to catch up on some blog reading,

Adi